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Mahiru couldn't swim. Really, it's not that she couldn't swim, it's that she'd never taken the time to learn how to do so. Why would she? Chlorine smells and burns the eyes, while the ocean is deep, dark, dirty, and overly salty.. So really, there was no reason to learn when she could thoroughly enjoy herself splashing in the shallows. It was the same water, just with a solid ground underneath her. That put her mind at ease.
Today was a day like every other: bright sun, blue water, golden sand. Despite not having a desire to swim, Mahiru frequently took trips down to her beach (added emphasis on her beach, thank you very much). Located in a remote location in Aichi prefecture sat Mahiru’s personal stretch of shoreline. Not one for frequent tourists, the shore was remarkably free of debris and instead, covered with shells of all shapes and sizes. Small fish fluttered in and out of the tide pools, escaping certain doom held the claws of the many brachyuran crabs looking for their next meal. Soft sand, warm to the touch, offered its sweet embrace, perfect for sunbathing or sandcastle building.
But Mahiru wasn't here to doze in the sun, nor build sand fortresses. No, she was here to capture still life images for her portfolio, which she was prepping to send to the scouts of Hope's Peak Academy. The young photographer knew she had it in her to enroll in the school; it was just a matter of being noticed enough. While her published works consisted of action shots and portraits, she felt still her still life was lacking.
Spreading out her beach blanket and plopping down her camera bag, Mahiru got to work lathering up with sunscreen, as her pale skin flecked with freckles was known to burn to a crisp in the hot summer sun. Today was an especially bright day, the sun reflecting off the water and sand, throwing flurries of light dancing across Mahiru's face, and consequently, in her eyes. Slapping on her shades, she quickly silenced the overbearing sunlight, needing to keep focused on the task at hand.
Shades? On.
Sunscreen? On.
Camera neck strap? On.
UV filter? O-wait.
Where was her UV filter? Mahiru swore up and down she packed it this morning, retracing her steps before biking down to the beach. Yes. Definitely packed it. So, where in the world did it go?
Grasping for her camera bag, Mahiru unzipped the main compartment, hands slick with sunscreen causing her to fumble. Flipping open the top, she drug around, careful to not smudge her lenses, specifically those missing their lense caps because honestly, keeping track of those was harder than keeping track of this damn UV filter.
To no avail, the UV filter was not found. Sighing, she laid back on her blanket, slipping her shades off her face and resting her arm across her eyes. There was no reason to take any photos now, as the overexposure from the sun would surely damage her lenses, and honestly, she couldn't afford to replace them at this moment. The cheapest of her lenses had cost her nearly 50,000 yen, a sum she had saved from countless summer part time jobs and hundreds of grueling hours of doing odd jobs around town.
She recounted her steps yet again. There was just no logical reason that her UV filter was missing. She distinctly remembered checking the weather report to make sure it would be the perfect sunshiny day she needed, and in tuck, she tucked her UV filter into the main pocket of her camera bag. It just didn't make sense.
A clearing of a throat shook Mahiru from her thoughts. Moving her arm off her eyes and blinding herself in the process, she looked up to see a silhouette directly above her. As her eyes focused she noticed it was a girl, probably around her age, skin sun-kissed from dozens of hours spent outside. Her blue eyes, putting the ocean beside her to shame, were crinkled at the corners, as her mouth was pulled into a closed lipped smile. Her long brown hair fell over her shoulders, creating a curtain around her delicate face.
“Excuse me. Is this yours?” the girl asked, holding up a small, clear plastic box.
Nearly jumping erect, Mahiru scrambled to her feet, grasping the box from the tan beauty.
“My UV filter! Where did you find it?” she exclaimed, ecstatic.
“Ah,” started the girl, pointing with her thumb behind her. “Just over there in the sand. It blended in pretty well so I almost stepped on it.”
“Thank goodness you didn't. I'd have died right in the spot.” Mahiru breathed. Crisis averted. Mission still-life re-engaged.
It was then that it hit Mahiru she wasn't alone. For the first time ever, there was another person on her beach. Scowling, Mahiru noticed the beach towel slung over the girl's shoulder and the school bathing suit she wore. If she noticed the look Mahiru was giving her, the girl paid no mind. Instead, she thrust out her hand.
“I'm Aoi Asahina. But you can just call me Hina. Nice to meet you!”
Gingerly grasping Hina’s hand, Mahiru unenthusiastically returned the handshake. “Mahiru. Delighted.”
“Are you here to swim?” Hina asked, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet. No matter how tight the swimsuit, there was no preventing any sort of jiggling when you're that well endowed.
Flustered, Mahiru looked away and muttered, “No. I'm here to take photos.”
Hina laughed, knocking herself on the head and sticking out her tongue. “Oh, duh. You have a camera. Well, I'll let you get to it!”
With that, Hina tossed down her towel about to foot away from Mahiru’s, not bothering to spread it out, and kicked off her flip-flops. Dashing over to the water, she didn't hesitate getting waist level with the tide. “Burr! It's cold today!”
Mahiru always considered herself a kind person, but before anything, she was 100% an introvert. She wasn't mentally prepared to interact with someone as…bubbly… as Hina today.
Nevertheless, Mahiru turned away from the tan girl splashing around in the water and focused on the nearby tide pools. Picking up her sandals, she padded over to the rocks, setting them back on the ground and slipping them over her feet, the worn out soles cradling her flesh and protecting it from the hot surface of the ridge. In a moment, she was scouring the area for starfish, trapped minnows, sea cucumbers, or really anything worth taking shots of.
To her luck, she found exactly that: a crab sitting in a small pool of seawater; only its eyes breached the surface. Settling herself down in a crouch, Mahiru angled her camera level with her face and adjusted her focus. Slowly, the little snapper came into view, its small eyes watching her, wary.
With a snap of her shudder, Mahiru got it, the perfect shot. Resting on her heels, she reviewed her photo on her LCD screen. Proud, she smirked to her herself.
“Oooh wow! That's really pretty!” an excited voice said from near her ear.
Startled, Mahiru fumbled with her camera, unwillingly thrust into a game of technological hot-potato. Thank God for neck straps, amirite?
Eyebrows furrowed, Mahiru turned and was nose to nose with Hina, hair tied up and dripping from her short lived swim. This caused both of the girls to jolt backwards, and Mahiru was sure her face was the same bright red of her hair.
“Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you,” Hina started. “You just looked so cool and focused. I wanted to see what you were up to.”
Mahiru shook her head and gave the girl a small smile, won over by her sincere apology. “That's alright. No damage was done. Though if it wasn't for this neck strap, I'd have tossed you back into the ocean myself.”
Hina stood up and put her hands on her hips, pouting, her plump lower lip jutting out in such a cute manner that Mahiru might as well have swooned on the spot. “That’s not nice at all. I'd just pull you in with me.”
“I'd definitely drown you then.”
“You can't drown me. I'm the best swimmer in the prefecture! That would be like trying to drown a fish.” Hina laughed.
“I'll take your word for it,” Mahiru replied, turning back to the now empty puddle of water. Frowning, she stood up and hunted for more animals or plant life in the tide pools.
“Need any help? I might not look like it, but I'm good at finding things,” Hina offered.
Mahiru thought for a moment. She could take Hina up on the offer and have another set of eyes, or she could decline and have a lesser chance of scaring away any wildlife among the rocks. Ultimately, she decided to hunt alone, chalking it up to not wanting to disturb the animals and not the fact that every moment she stood here with Hina, her palms grew more sweaty and her tongue tied itself further.
“No thanks. I've got it.”
Dejected, Hina’s smile melted into a sad expression. “Alright then. I'll just uhm…get back to swimming.” With that, she turned around, walked to the edge of the ridge and jumped back into the ocean. Mahiru let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.
She didn't understand why Hina made her so nervous. She had no reason to be, seeing as she’d only known this girl for probably an hour. But between that cute smile and bubbly personality, Mahiru felt drawn to her rather than felt the need to flee and be alone.
As the day went on and the sun set, Mahiru’s photoshoot came to a close. Returning to her beach blanket, she started on putting her camera piece by piece back into her camera bag. However, something caught her eye.
Hina was still swimming, her powerful strokes cutting in and out of the water, like a hot knife through soft soap. Her hair was still up in her bun, but strands had plastered themselves to her face, framing her high cheekbones and defined jawline. As Hina stopped to turn around, Mahiru lifted her camera, found the viewfinder, and snapped the shutter close. Embarrassed at her actions, she made quick work in picking up her items.
Before Hina could notice, Mahiru was packed and ready to leave, one leg slung over her bike and resting on the pedal. As she went to kick off, she heard a voice calling out to her.
“Will I see you again?” Hina yelled, cupping her hands around her mouth.
A beat went by and Mahiru replied:
“Tomorrow.”
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The girls met everyday after that. Each day was the same: Mahiru would show up first, and then Hina would arrive. Mahiru would then search for some kind of life among the tide pools or the sand, while Hina would alternate between her strokes. Each and every time, Mahiru would catch herself watching the girl and ignoring her work, admiring her smooth muscles and her voluptuous body. And time after time, she'd chide herself for looking at Hina in such a manner, while the girl was none the wiser.
Not much was said between the girls, but it was mutually understood that each others company was enjoyed. At the end of each day, Mahiru would snap a photo of Hina, framed by the sunset, and sneak away. Though the promise of tomorrow always remained.
One morning, Mahiru lay in bed. She rolled over, seeing the time projected on her alarm clock. It read 10:50 am, much later than she usually got up. Groggy, she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, letting out a great yawn. It was then she realized why she woke up so late.
Storm clouds, heavy with rain, cast over the sun, blotting out its light and throwing the sky into darkness. After her morning routine, Mahiru settled in to a day inside. Freshly showered, she kicked back with a plate of orange jam covered toast and flipped on the television. The weather reported that though these tropical storms weren't anything to be worried about, it was probably wiser to stay indoors for the day.
As the time neared the hour of departure, Mahiru started to worry, however. She was sure Hina wouldn't be dumb enough to head outside in this weather. Yup. She's safe at home, warm and snug under a blanket. She has to be. At least, that’s what she tried to convince herself.
Before Mahiru knew it, and beyond all reason, she was clad in a raincoat and racing in her bike to their meet up spot. No way would Hina be there. Mahiru would just end up at the empty beach, laughing at herself for being so foolish.
Well, she would in fact prove herself wrong. Sitting on the ridge was Hina herself, soaked to the bone, with her hair free of a bun and stuck to her shoulders and back.
“Hina!” she yelled, skidding to a halt. “What in the world are you doing here?”
Hina snapped her head in Mahiru’s direction, a smile growing in her face. “You said tomorrow, so I came!”
Mahiru shook her head. “You're dumb, you know that?”
Hina walked over to Mahiru, hopping off the ridge and meeting the girl on the bike. Mahiru tried oh so hard not to focus on the soaked T-shirt sticking to her skin, no doubt covering her school swimsuit.
“C’mon. Hop on,” Mahiru said, gesturing to the rack on her back tire. “Let's get you dry.”
Hina giggled. “I'm the last person you need to worry about getting wet.” Regardless, Hina complied to Mahiru's request, sitting down on the rack and wrapping her arms around Mahiru's waist, causing her heart to go into overdrive.
Peddling quickly, albeit sloppy due to not being used to tandem riding, Mahiru zoomed back to her house, where she rushed in to get towels, casting aside her raincoat at the walk in. She returned to an uncomfortable Hina, dripping on the tile, feet bare and obviously very cold. Throwing a towel on Hina's head, Mahiru mussed her hair, attempting to aid the girl at getting dry, much to Hina's dismay.
“Hey, I can get it my-achoo!” Hina complained, interrupted by a sudden sneeze.
“This is no good. You're going to catch a cold,” Mahiru mused.
Hina thought for a moment. “Can I take a shower?”
Stunned, Mahiru looked at Hina like she had a third head. “A what?”
Amused, Hina repeated herself. “A sh-ow-er. You know. Hot water. Soap. Rubber ducks and nake-”
“Hina! I know what a shower is!” Mahiru exclaimed, not wanting to hear the rest of that statement.
“So can I? Can I?” Hina begged, tilting her head and bring her hands to her face in a very cat-like manner.
Looking away and covering her mouth, Mahiru nodded, agreeing reluctantly to Hina's wish. She then lead a cheering Hina upstairs and to her bathroom, one in which she didn't share with her parents. She pulled another towel from the linen closet and set it on the countertop, before moving into the shower room.
“Left for hot, right for cold. Turn clockwise,” she instructed.
“I gotcha,” replied Hina. “Oh! I love this shampoo. Almond and Shea is my absolute favorite scent. Do you mind if I use some?” Hina had picked up the pale green bottle and was holding it close to her chest.
Mahiru nodded. “Yeah. You’re free to use anything you see in there.” She awkwardly stood there for a moment, before clearing her throat. “Well, I’ll leave you to it.”
She stepped out of the bathroom and closed the door behind her. With a soft shushing-sound, the shower came to life. The curtain wooshed shut and then the only sounds to be heard were that of the water hitting the shower floor and that of Hina humming a small tune. Mahiru took this opportunity to dip into her room and cool herself down. Her heart was racing, contrary to her wishes.
It’s just a shower, she reminded herself. She thought herself to be... uncomfortably flustered by the idea of Hina bathing in her house but...it was simply just that. A shower. Nothing else.
Sooner than later, a gentle knock on her door brought her from her thoughts. She jumped from her bed, praying the redness on her face had subsided. Opening her room up, she was face to face with Hina in a towel, her long hair swept back from her face. She probably should have given her two towels, now that she thought of it.
“I uhm...I don’t have a spare set of clothes,” Hina confessed, looking as embarrassed as Mahiru.
“Ah! My apologies. I’ll get you something right away!” With that, she turned away, sure she was beet red at this point. Rifling through her drawers, she found an oversized t-shirt and a pair of comfortable shorts for Hina to slip into. She then opened her top drawer and pulled out a pair of undergarments.
Mahiru then walked over to her bed and placed the clothing there for Hina. She turned and admitted, “I don’t have anything that will fit you on top. I apologize.” Hina’s chest was easily 10 cm larger than her’s, so in no way would she ever fit. Hina shook her head and smiled.
“Aw, don’t worry about it! It’s just you and me anyway. No big deal.”
Oh, if only she knew.
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The rest of the day was rather anti-climatic. They lazed around, watched TV, and just talked about absolute nonsense, and when they were out of things to talk about, they slipped into a comfortable silence. Mahiru made a simple dinner of pasta, dressed with italian spices and cherry tomatoes. As it turns out, tomatoes were very much in Hina’s liking, so that was an added bonus just to see the delight on her face when she presented their dinner.
As the sun was long gone (not that you really could see it through the storm clouds), Hina looked outside and frowned.
“I don’t think I can walk back in this weather,” she admitted. Mahiru looked over her shoulder. She was right. There was no way anyone could walk the few miles to her house in this storm and arrive safely, time aside. Mahiru looked at Hina through the glass reflection and smiled at her.
“You can just stay the night. My mother is off on a trip to take some photos and my dad... he’s probably stuck at the bar for the night.” When Hina didn’t look convinced, she quickly added, “You can take my bed. I’ll be alright down here on the couch.”
“Well, I don't want to put you out. You’ve done a lot for me today. Who knows how long I would have stayed at the beach if you hadn’t showed up.” Hina’s brow was furrowed in worry. Oh goodness, Mahiru thought. She was so cute.
“I assure you, it is no trouble. I would like to keep you safe here than you risk getting swept away by the storm.”
And so it was settled. Hina called her house and explained the situation. Much to their delight, she was safe and had a reliable place to stay the night. When she hung up, she turned and hugged Mahiru, surprising the redhead.
“Oh thank you! You’re so great! You’re the best friend a girl could ask for!”
She tried to keep her heart from sinking, because really, Hina had never shown any interest in her in another other manner, so yes, of course she would view her as a good friend and just that. She hesitantly hugged her back, ignoring the press of Hina on her chest, and smiled into her shoulder.
“I think you’re the great one here.”
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The time for sleep was just around the corner, and Mahiru led Hina to her room. Adjusting the covers and pillows, she made sure it would be to her liking. Over and over, Hina had asked her to reconsider because, “Really, I’m fine with the couch. This is your bed, after all,” but Mahiru wasn’t having it. She was firm in her decision.
As Hina was settled down, she made her way to the bedroom door, As she grabbed the knob, she heard the scuffling of sheets on sheets, and felt Hina’s hand on her wrist. She turned, surprised by the other girl, and noticed in the dim light illuminated by the nearby lightning, Hina’s face was flushed. Or was she imagining that?
Mahiru opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Hina. “Just stay with me. We can share. It’s big enough for both of us.”
Was it hot, or was that just her? She couldn’t believe her ears, but Hina seemed dead set in taking her back to the bed with her. She nodded very slightly and allowed for herself to be pulled back on to the mattress and under the covers. Hina was covered up to her nose, watching Mahiru warily. Mahiru watched back, not breaking the eye contact nor making a noise. She wasn’t sure how long they laid like that, but soon enough, Hina’s eyes fluttered closed and her breathing slowed, falling into what seemed like a deep sleep. Mahiru rolled over as to not stare at Hina because if she thought she was cute before, she wouldn’t even know what to call this new feeling now.
With her heart in her throat, Mahiru tried her best to get sleep. She didn’t want to fuss too much, fearing she’s disturb Hina, but she just couldn’t seem to settle her mind, causing her body to feel agitated. The rain droned on outside, the wind howling through the night. Normally, Mahiru would have welcomed a peaceful night like this, not that she wasn’t welcoming Hina in her bed but...it seemed too fast. She had these feelings for Hina that she was sure were unreciprocated, not to mention, she wasn’t even sure if Hina liked girls in the first place. Hell, Mahiru didn’t know she liked girls until she was head over heels for Hina.
Rolling over, her breath caught in her throat. Hina had moved closer to her, laying less on one side of the bed and more straight in the middle. Her hands, in loose fists, rested in front of her face, allowing Mahiru to only see one of her eyes and the edge of her face. Before she could talk herself out of it, Mahiru had reached up and grasped one of Mahiru’s hands, covering her tan skin with her pale shade. Hina mumbled something, before drawing closer to Mahiru, throwing her free arm over the other girl’s waist, effectively placing the girls in a snuggle.
At this point, all caution was to the wind. Mahiru released Hina’s hand and wrapped her arm around the girl’s upper back, pulling her closer, so that Hina’s face was beside Mahiru’s chest. She buried her nose into Hina’s hair that smelled of her shampoo and breathed out deeply. She was out of her mind, definitely, but she didn’t care. All she wanted in this moment was to hold Hina close and savor this feeling before Hina woke up, which would probably be soon because Mahiru could practically hear her own heart beating out of her chest.
With that, Mahiru fell asleep, holding Hina close, her soft skin pressed against Mahiru's and Hina’s scent surrounding her.
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Morning came too soon. Mahiru woke up before Hina, who was still sound asleep in her arms. Worried that Hina would be upset at their cuddling, Mahiru wiggled her way away from Hina and left to take a shower, making sure to bring a change of clothes with her, rather than hopping back into her room with just a towel.
She turned the shower on and let the hot water fill the room with steam, breathing it in deeply, trying to soon her nerves. Stepping in, she let the power of the water pressure help undo her muscles, which were more tense than she realized last night, most likely from the fear that Hina would wake up and push her away. As she finished up, Mahiru wrung out her short hair, towelled off, and dressed in a plain green T-shirt and denim shorts that fell just above her knee.
By the time she returned, Hina was wide awake, sitting up and stretching, little moans escaping her mouth, causing butterflies in Mahiru's chest. She didn’t know how much longer she could be around Hina before she broke. At this rate, it wasn’t very long.
“G-mornin’...” Hina yawned.
Mahiru smiled at her, dumping her dirty clothes into the hamper in her closet. “Good morning. Are you hungry?”
“Mmm...starving.”
“What would you like to eat?”
The brunette thought for a moment. “Donuts. I really like donuts.”
“Really? I’ve always thought they were too sugary.”
“But that’s the best part! I especially like when they’re covered in icing and sprinkles. It’s the best. How can you not like donuts?” Hina seemed way too shocked about this.
Mahiru laughed and shook her head. “I never said I didn’t like them. But sure. Let’s get some donuts. There’s a place just down the road. It’s not storming anymore so we can bike down there no problem.”
Hina nearly jumped out of bed, her eyes sparkling. “Great! Oh, I should shower first.”
Dabbing at her wet hair, Mahiru said, “Hmm...why don’t you wait until after if you’re so starving? We can head back here, you can shower, and then I can take you home.”
Hina giggled. “Yeah. That sounds like a solid plan to me.”
Soon, the girls were outside in front of Mahiru’s house, the redhead sitting on the bike seat and the brunette riding tandem. Like the day before, Hina wrapped her arms around Mahiru’s waist, laying her head sideways on her back, and of course, Mahiru was a butterflied-stomach mess. Kicking off, Mahiru rode the two girls to the donut shop.
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“Aww, I don’t want to go home,” Hina whined.
“And why not?” Mahiru was taken aback. After they had returned from getting donuts, they agreed Hina would clean up and then head back to her house. They were barely in the door before Hina complained about not wanting to leave.
“It’s peaceful here. I like hanging out with you.” Hina smiled her classic, brilliant smile, you know, the one that had been driving Mahiru crazy since she met her.
She thought for a moment. It wasn’t as if they had anything dire to do that day, other than perhaps head to the beach. Wait…
“Why don’t we head to the beach then? There’s no point in taking a shower if you’re just going to get into the water anyway. Your swimsuit is still here from yesterday,” she proposed.
Hina hid her palm with the base of her fist. “Ah! That’s right! Okay! I’ll go get changed.” With a dash, she was off to fetch her swimsuit, which was still hanging in Mahiru’s bathroom.
“Hey, I need to get ready too. Wait up!” Mahiru laughed, following quickly behind.
Soon, they were both dressed in appropriate beach attire. Hina was in her usual school swimsuit, while Mahiru decided just to go with a tank-top and shorts that day. She never got in the water anyway, so why bother with wearing a swimsuit?
Much better at tandem riding, Mahiru zoomed Hina and herself to their beach.
Their beach.
She smiled at the thought. At first, she was annoyed that she had to share her secret cove with another person, but it seems to be that was the best decision of her life. As if sensing her good vibes, Hina hugged Mahiru tighter, burying her nose into Mahiru’s back. They arrived, spread out their towels, but something was off. Hina wasn’t getting in the water.
Mahiru tilted her head, looking at the tan girl before her. “Aren’t you going to swim?”
Hina looked to the side, obviously embarrassed “Y-yeah.” She stood there for a moment before slipping off her jacket and dashing to the water. Mahiru watched her go, confused at her sudden discomfort. Regardless, she applied her sunscreen, tossed the bottle on her towel and headed towards the tide pools.
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As dusk was nearing, Mahiru was growing tired. Caught up in her work, she realized all she had eaten were those donuts that morning. Her stomach grumbled, yelling for her attention. It was time she headed back. Perhaps her father was back. Who knew?
She walked over to her towel and gathered up her things as usual. She then went about taking her daily photo of Hina, only to be completely caught off guard when she wasn’t in the water, but standing only a few feet away from her, hair free of her bun, water cascading off of her.
Mahiru stood upright, embarrassed.
“You take photos of me everyday.” It wasn’t a question. It was a pure, factual statement. Mahiru really didn’t expect that and was more or less caught off guard. She nodded in reply.
“I do.”
“Why?” Hina wasn’t angry. She seemed confused, nothing else.
Mahiru thought for a moment, trying to figure out the best course of action. There was a few options she had here. First, she could tell Hina it was just to work on sports shots. It’s a legitimate reasoning, but she didn’t think Hina would fall for it. No, the girl knew that Mahiru had more than enough practice with that, and her section of her portfolio was in no way lacking. Second, she could claim she was taking a photo of the sunset, but that was very obviously a lie. She had just admitted to taking photos of Hina after all. Option three was well….
“I think you’re beautiful,” Mahiru blurted out. She added nothing more, nothing less.
Hina was silent for a moment, her face slightly flushed. She honestly looked embarrassed. “I think you’re beautiful too, Mahiru.”
Mahiru smiled softly, a look of melancholy spreading over her face. “Thanks.”
“No, Mahiru. You misunderstand. I think you’re...you’re…” Hina was struggling to find the words, that much was obvious. She waited patiently, wanting to see where this was going, but also trying not to get her hopes up too high.
Hina took a step forward, closing the gap between the two girls. They were only mere inches away from one another, their eyes nearly the same height to peer into the other’s. “I know what happened last night.”
“Last night?” Just play dumb. That always works, right?
“You held me. I know. I was awake.” Hina admitted, breaking their eye contact.
“W-why would you pretend to be asleep?” Mahiru sputtered.
“Because I was afraid you’d push me away.”
Mahiru couldn’t believe what she was hearing. So her cuddling Hina last night was what she wanted? And SHE was the one afraid of rejection?
Mahiru shook her head slowly. “I would never say no to holding you.”
“Platonically.” Hina added. It wasn’t a question, nor a factual statement this time. It was more of an accusation.
Why does she sound so upset?
“P-platonically,” Mahiru agreed. “If that’s what you want.”
Hina snapped her head up and met Mahiru’s eyes dead on. She looked to be on the verge of tears. “Why would I want that? Have you really not noticed?” Mahiru had absolutely no idea what she was referring to, so she stayed silent. A beat passed before Hina picked the conversation back up.
“I came here every day just to see you. I try to help you with your work. I wanted to sleep in the same bed as you. I wanted you to hold me. I didn’t want to go home. I-” her voice fell, trailing off.
Mahiru understood. She closed the gap between her and Hina, wrapping her arms around the other girl, not caring if the ocean water seeped into her clothing. Hina was rigid, but slowly relaxed into the embrace. In turn, she wrapped her strong arms around Mahiru’s upper back. Her breath was in Mahiru’s ear, quick and uneven, which was probably reflective of her own. They stayed like that for a moment, before they pulled back, and with lidded eyes, their lips met.
It wasn’t like anything she’d ever experienced before. It wasn’t as if she’d never kissed another person, but that compared very little to this sensation she felt. Her heart was doing jumping-jacks, her breathing ceased to exist. And Hina? She was soft and warm. She tasted of salt water and sunshiny days. Hina trailed her hand upward, cupping Mahiru’s face delicately, as if she was made of porcelain, and as a response, Mahiru tangled her fingers in Hina’s loose, sunkissed hair.
When their lips parted, both girls were speechless. They stood there, forehead to forehead, smiling at one another. The lingering sun cast shadows across their faces, but they couldn’t dull the sparkle in their eyes. It was then Mahiru’s stomach growled again, loudly, might she add. Unwillingly, Mahiru laughed and parted the hug. Hina’s face was painted in delight, a large smile spread over her cheeks.
Not wanting to miss this moment, Mahiru lifted her camera and snapped the shutter closed.
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“You can’t swim?”
About a week later was just another day on the beach for Mahiru and Hina, now officially dating. Mahiru didn’t bother to look up when answering Hina.
“Never needed to.” she answered, curtly.
“Aww, come on! Let me teach you.” Hina begged, doing that stupidly-cute cat thing that she knew would get Mahiru to cave every time. But this, she was firm on.
“But why? The ocean is uncomfortably deep.”
“We won’t go out that far. I promise. Besides! You owe me for all those pictures you took of me without asking!” She stuck her tongue out at Mahiru. Sliding her camera on to her back, she pounced on Hina, kissing her cheek over and over.
“Fine. You’re right. You can try to teach me, try being the optimal word here,” Mahiru said, laughing on to Hina’s skin. “Don’t blame me if I suck at it.”
“I’m the best swimmer in the prefecture, remember? You’re be fine!” Hina laughed back, her smile bright.
“You’re right. I couldn’t ask for a better teacher.”
“Then tomorrow!” Hina said as she broke free of Mahiru’s grip and ran to her towel. She gathered her things quickly and waved at Mahiru. “You better be ready.”
Mahiru slung her leg over her bike, the agreement between them already arranged, but spoken aloud, officially official.
”Tomorrow.”